What's New In Food: November 2013

The Latest News From The Culinary World

Blue Tavern’s menu will give a Peruvian take on classic Californian dishes making the most of Santa Barbara’s consistent supply of fresh seafood.

Welcome to the first of many monthly updates featuring the latest news from the culinary world. Each month, I'll be bringing you all the information you need to catch the hottest new openings, discover some hidden gems, find the latest must-have food gadgets and fill your calendar with the most exciting and mouth-watering culinary events. I’ll also point you in the direction of some of my favorite food-related podcasts, as well as recommending restaurants and websites. They might not always be brand-spanking-new, but if you check them out, your life will be a whole lot better for it.

Latest Openings

Chef Ricardo Zarate’s three Los Angeles restaurants — Mo’Chica, Picca and Paiche — are already hot tickets for their elevated take on Peruvian cuisine. Now, Zarate is taking his skills further afield to open a new restaurant in Santa Barbara. Blue Tavern’s menu will give a Peruvian take on classic Californian dishes, making the most of Santa Barbara’s consistent supply of fresh seafood. The menu will be complemented by a cocktail program devised by mixologist Deysi Alvarez.

New Gadget

While sous vide machines for the home have been around for a few years now, they tend to just add bulk to your home — while removing bulk from your wallet. However, thanks to Scott Heimendinger, there will soon be an “all-in-one” immersion circulator that will retail at a reasonable $199 and can be used in any kitchen container. The Sansaire project was launched on Kickstarter and smashed its initial fundraising target in a matter of hours. The device can be pre-ordered from the website above.

Stuff I Like

Forty-five minutes of listening to celebrity chef Alton Brown doing “whatever he flippin’ wants” is always going to be fun, but, as well as “AB” doing his thing, this podcast also has some great conversations with some really interesting people and is one of the few I subscribe to on any regular basis.

Still primarily based on the West Coast, this private members club has plans to expand its events all over North America. Once you're accepted, you have access to exclusive food and drink events including wine and spirit tastings, unique dinners, culinary seminars and a lot more.